The Kölsch style falls into an interesting beer category. I tend to consider it somewhere between an ale and a lager. However, since it’s brewed with a top-fermenting rather than bottom-fermenting yeast, it’s technically an ale. But, since it’s then conditioned at lower temperatures, like a lager, it takes on a clear, bright, golden hue and that distinctive lager crispness. So it ends up with a lager appearance and flavor but is matured in the same fashion as an ale. There is complex history between the various strains of yeast and styles of brewing, which is certainly worth knowing more about. Here’s a decent description:
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-01/beersci-what-difference-between-lager-and-ale
I think Occidental Brewing really hit the nail on the head with this one. In fact, this beer brought them early popularity and success in Portland and is my personal lawn-mowing and yard-work favorite. It’s available in convenient four-pint to-go packs, is only around 4.5% alcohol content, and on top of it all, is quite simply delicious.
When drinking at home there is one golden rule to remember, as my Dad once enshrined upon me: “It’s not about how much you can drink, but how much you can do the next day.” This might actually be one of the most important things my Dad ever taught me. He wasn’t the best of fathers.
So, with that in mind, I’ve come up with some ideas regarding how to be a more productive beer drinker at home. Firstly, I think it’s important to have a task list before you start drinking. Just jot a few things down that you’d like to get done. If you get through one or two of them before the end of the day, perfect. You don’t have to complete them all. Here’s a quick sample of one my own lists:
- Mow lawn.
- Wash floors.
- Feed Rumbull.
- Buy beer.
In this example, you can see that even if I complete only task three and four, I’m still making real progress on the list. By the end of the session I will have completed 50% of all the tasks that I was hoping to accomplish before the session started. If I get to the other two tasks the next day, then great. My list is done!
Another important lesson from my Dad about drinking at home: “Always drink beer from a glass.” If you buy beer in a bottle then fine, drink it out of the bottle (although my Dad would still not approve). But if you are buying beer in a can you definitely want to pour it our into a cold glass. In a pinch, at least wash off the top of the can before you drink from it- they are sometimes stored for weeks in rat-infested warehouses. Here’s a quick video tutorial on how to pour from can to glass without spilling and with perfect head. The trick is to tilt the glass at the start and then straighten up and elevate the can towards the end:
LAGER LOVER 